What's going to happen to Business Process Management? Current Status and Future of a Discipline Matthias Lederer ISM International School of Management Munich matthias.lederer@ism.de ABSTRACT approaches. In the S-BPM community as well as on many other process management platforms In recent years, business process management (e.g., panels, workshops) discussions about the (BPM) has developed many concepts and current and future significance of BPM take methods for IT-supported cross-functional place. optimization within enterprises. The megatrend of digitization, however, raises the question of Thanks to new technologies, smarter IT systems, what significance the discipline currently and in the digitization of many processes, fully the future still has. This article analyzes the automated business models and many other general importance of BPM in science and trends, the BPM discipline, which has formerly research. From this, four theses on the future of been described, becomes more diverse. Many the discipline are derived (including decreasing opportunities can arise from this, because process relevance of classical terms and commoditization orientation is a main paradigm in many of concepts), which can be used as an orientation digitization initiatives. The built-up BPM for further BPM initiatives. knowledge base can make many contributions – this might only be the modeling, execution, CCS Concepts optimization or monitoring. At the same time, a Applied computing ➝ Enterprise computing ➝ sense of loss of identity can be observed – for Business process management. example, when ideas from other disciplines cannot be easily combined with the classical Keywords teachings of BPM, when new digitization experts Business Process Management, Digitization, are appearing on the field or when the term Research community. "process management" is no longer used. This contribution serves as a reflection paper to 1 Motivation encourage discussion at the conference on the The conference series of the S-BPM ONE exists future of BPM, and probably of S-BPM in since 10 years. Conceptually, it can be particular. understood as a further development or supplement to the original and traditional BPM S-BPM ONE ‘29, June, 2019, Sevilla, Spain M. Lederer First, selected developments of BPM in science integrate data, functions and tasks in a company. and practice are outlined. They do not claim to be Nonetheless, these topics are nowadays complete in their entirety, but provide insights subsumed or specifically referred to as digital into the developments that can be observed in business. For example data analytics, predictive BPM research and entrepreneurial practice. Since maintenance, data mining, industry 4.0, design this text is about general observations, thinking, big data integration, AI for agents, hypotheses, and interpretations, it explicitly does smart production or dynamic orchestration are not use any sources as evidences. The article typical keywords for currently trendy concepts. concludes with four theses, which are to be However, the BPM and S-BPM community is understood as an assessment of the author. They providing contributions in these fields for years, should serve as an introduction to an open but under classic terms such as workflow, ERP, discussion at the conference. activity-based analysis, formal languages, business IT alignment, BPM software, automated execution, process semantics and process 2 Collection of ongoing training. In summary, the classic BPM topics are developments still under discussion and application - but under First, some observations from business practice different, modern or specific terminology. and science are collected. On a second level, digitization means a holistic transformation of companies (e.g., with their BPM in companies business models, transactions and resources) and Despite all the talk about the exact meaning, also of the entire society (e.g., work 4.0, GoogleTrends can certainly be used to derive the generation Y). Many of the ideas are build on general interest in topics. Figure 1 shows that digital processes (and the underlying available global interest in BPM (search requests) has been data, tools, and competencies organized in falling slightly since 2009 and has remained at a process models). In line with new technology, constant level for several years. more (especially structured) business processes have been optimized (e.g., automated). This is still happening today at the first level of digitization. The focus of companies shifts towards the second level with the available data and IT services in flexible and strategic topics. IT is used to (i) implement digital leadership, (ii) digital products and services (innovations), (iii) digital partnerships, and (iv) digital business Figure 1: Relative Google searches for BPM and digital business models. Often, however, a classic BPM basis is needed for (i) roles, (ii) process data, (iii) Digitization is usually addressed at two levels in collaboration workflows, and (iv) reliable companies. First, it is about transferring analog transactions (= business processes). data or manual steps into digital information or automated workflows. At this stage, classical BPM has its beginnings, because processes What's going to happen to Business Process Management? S-BPM ONE ‘29, June, 2019, Sevilla, Spain BPM in science BPM publications only grow significantly in the management world. Perhaps this can be This trend can also be seen in science and explained by the fact that IT, data and technology research, where there are still contributions, related issues have always been relevant to findings and new results on classic BPM topics. engineers, but have now arrived in management Figure 2 shows 8.914 BPM-related publications as well (e.g. functions such as online marketing, of three databases over the last years (see Figure digital HR, automated finance, automated 2). administration, transactions such as e- Although some methodological approaches have procurement and e-commerce). In the mainstream been used in the sample and analysis, they are not (SpringerLink), however, other keywords seem to described here – this article focuses on reflection become more relevant, even if BPM publications rather than the exact measurement methodology. continue to have equal shares. Table 1: Growth rates and relation (n=8914) Database \ Rates Avg. annual Avg. annual growth growth rate of rate of all publications BPM publications in database EbscoHOST 15% 7% IEEE Xplore -1% 3% SpringerLink 7% 7% If one looks at classical conferences in the field of information systems (see Table 2), BPM is now completely seen as interdisciplinary field between business and IT. Shown are the track names in which researchers were/are invited to submit BPM-related papers. The track names from previous years and the ones form the current Figure 2: BPM publications in (i) EbscoHOST, (ii) year are shown in the rows. IEEE Xplore and (iii) SpringerLink (top-down) It is noticeable that in the past either BPM- At first glance, the number of general textbooks relevant topics were explicitly mentioned in the and general publications (here SpringerLink) has track name or BPM was discussed in the context increased slightly since 2009. On the one hand, in of organizational questions. At current more management-oriented databases (here conferences, only one track has actually BPM in EbscoHOST), a strong increase in peer-reviewed the title. As with business practice, BPM topics journal contributions can be observed. Technical are mentioned in many different tracks (under contributions to BPM (here IEEE) decline on the new categories) in Call for Papers but not in the other hand. title anymore (no longer an own category). However, looking at the relative proportions of these samples (see Table 1), it becomes clear that S-BPM ONE ‘29, June, 2019, Sevilla, Spain M. Lederer Table 1: Relevant tracks for BPM-related contributions (ii) The special or modern names are more Conference Former track Current track popular than BPM. (iii) Knowledge from the WI Business process Enterprise Modeling BPM discipline is welcome in many tracks (e.g., (2014 vs. and service & Information modeling, IT alignment), but more as a useful 2019) management Systems Design Digital foundation and not as key driver (e.g. digital Transformation and transformation). Services MKWI Business process The Customer in the (2014 vs. management and Digital 3 Theses for discussion 2018) flexibility in Transformation - Based on the – not scientifically complete workflow Creating Customer objective – findings on the state of BPM in management Values business practice and research, this paper systems Social Computing, presents four theses on the development of Human-centric process management, which should be used in the Information Systems Design and (S-)BPM community as a conference discussion. Development Thesis 1: The importance of BPM as a concept is Cyber-physical decreasing. systems and digital The (sometimes only felt) status of homelessness value networks of classical BPM scientists is certainly there ICIS IS Strategy, Business Models because of a shift in the naming of classical (2014 vs. Structure, and and Digital process and information systems terms. Instead 2019) Organizational Transformation Impacts of known terms (e.g., IT, process), (i) other generic concepts (e.g., digital transformation that ECIS IT and new Modelling and often includes BPM), (ii) concrete techniques (2010 vs. organisational Managig the Digital (e.g., cyber-physical systems) or (iii) trendy 2019) forms and Enterprise and its terms (e.g., predictive maintenance) are in vogue. innovations Business Processes In practice and science, the value of data (e.g., Business Intelligence, Data Science, Data AMCIS n.a. AI and Smenatic (only Technologies for Analytics) is heavily highlighted, but its use in 2019) Intelligent processes/workflows is called different (e.g. Information Systems Process Mining). Data Science and This opens up the opportunity for BPM to Analytcis for transfer existing knowledge into many other Decision Support domains, functions, and divisions – even though Organizational the term process may not be needed in the end. Transformation & Information Systems The big risk is that new fields (e.g., business functions, scientific tracks) cannot build on the abundant knowledge. Many digital panels discuss This allows three initial conclusions: (i) Process conceptual topics that have been worked on (or management concepts are the content of various even solved!) in the BPM community for years. cross-cutting issues and topics of the future (such By the way, a similar development is to be as, digital transformation, artificial intelligence). observed in the classical knowledge management What's going to happen to Business Process Management? S-BPM ONE ‘29, June, 2019, Sevilla, Spain discipline. This community had already on the Along with thesis 2, BPM topics are often WI2019 an open panel about their loss of identity discussed even more by managers (e.g. Chief (freely interpreted under the thesis "Is the Digital Officers) today. IT and technology in classical knowledge management still alive?"). general has arrived in almost all processes (first Thesis 2: The importance of process management stage of digitization, see above). Thus, in the as a discipline decreases. executive floors, the (perceived) competence to Today, many self-appointed experts are participate in IT-supported processes grows. discussing IT topics under the umbrella of Efficient processes are required to talk about digitization. "Data Scientist" or "Digital business models and digital strategies. The Transformation Consultant" are currently popular figures from the analysis show that digital titles on business cards (or at the end of an e- business topics become a top priority. Industry mail). 4.0 is, for example, actually a topic of data- and Classical BPM knowledge, is needed on a lower IT-supported process optimization, but is heavily level - one could say that processes take a discussed by managers under the business term of development as described by Carr (“IT value networks. Engineers focus on technical [Processes?] doesn’t matter”). Traditional terms such as smart devices. questions of the community (process strategy, This would have to be a great opportunity for modeling, execution, controlling) are standard BPM, because formal (or “nerdy”) BPM ideas are today. However, BPM experts should not share actually hip and modern in the top management. the same fate as the quality experts in the 90s: However, benefits of this liberal and visionary Although they developed an immense body of trend are other communities that are frolicking knowledge, they are often no longer welcome as around under the large umbrella of digitization or experts in many companies, because their ideas are building up data and business models. A pity seem to be old, formal and not trendy. for BPM, but true! If we want to continue to be modern and in Thesis 4: Subject orientation is a paradigm of demand as a BPM community, we need to open many trends, but is called different. ourselves with bridges to new technologies (e.g., Subject orientation is understood by people blockchain, virtual leadership). This is necessary outside of the community as a human-centered in the discussion of contents and consequently (business experts) or agent-based (engineering also in the naming. Actually, BPM is ready, experts) idea of BPM. As we know in the because the concepts have been around for a long community, S-BPM is very powerful and can time. Now we are in the lucky position to have cover many fields. Individualization is a big the data and IT systems we often asked for to driver in digitization – if we just think of ways to tackle great ideas like integration, media breaks use personalized information efficiently and and data-based optimization. Or do we just have effectively (e.g., Google, Facebook, Netflix). The concepts and as soon as we should become concept of the subject might not, like BPM as a operational, we let others take precedence? BPM whole, fit the hip and trendy themes of the time. knowledge must not be lost, but live as a cross- Design thinking, user-generated content, social sectional function in other fields. media, intelligent agents, autonomous cars, smart Thesis 3: BPM is becoming more management- devices, machine learning, artificial intelligence, oriented and less technical. language assistants do not talk about subjects. S-BPM ONE ‘29, June, 2019, Sevilla, Spain M. Lederer Nevertheless, all of the topics described above can certainly be modeled/supported using S- BPM. It is probably similar to thesis 2 and 3. In the first digital wave, especially B2C transaction processes (in the broader sense marketing processes) were discussed. Here are U.S. company pioneer. In a next wave, B2B and internal manufacturing processes are to be digitally transformed. This is an opportunity for S-BPM, as engineers and IT experts will appreciate the formal and accurate scientific contributions of S-BPM. However, this can only happen if S-BPM profiles itself with real topics in manufacturing processes and inter-organizational optimization. 4 Summary Like other traditional disciplines from information systems, BPM is changing. This is due to digitization, which holistically covers many areas. This reflection paper has no final result or solution on how the BPM community should react to these developments. Convert? Support? Rename? Keep it up? The thoughts of the paper should serve the discussion at the conference. The author concludes that a significant contribution from S-BPM must be in the production of relevant results. Scientifically founded findings with a practical relevance are essential even if the three theses are taken into account. Where other information systems conferences today increasingly show meta- studies, gather only existing literature (systematic literature review) and merely reproduce known opinions, S-BPM should develop pragmatic approaches. Descriptive examinations may be simpler to “investigate” digitization. However, design science and case study research may be the commandment of the hour in order to strengthen a BPM community.